Make Mine Mineral

“Proto- col have cleverly blurred
the line between makeup and skincare”

I’ve long been an advocate of mineral makeup. When it comes
to making a celebrity client look radiant and youthful, I have to say that there
is really no better product than a mineral powder foundation.

You may have noticed that for some time now ‘Mineral’ has
been a beauty buzz word used by almost every cosmetic brand around and it’s
with good reason. Mineral ingredients, in their purest form, promise to not
only even out the skin tone but also diffuse fine lines and offer the complexion
a natural, high sun protection.

The science is pretty simple. Mineral rocks such as mica,
zinc and titanium dioxide are crushed into a powder form so that they shimmer
ever so slightly (without looking glittery) when they’re brushed onto the skin.
When the minerals blend with natural oils already in the skin the result is a
complexion that looks flawless... and because the minerals are so finely milled
they can be built up in sheer layers to cover the most stubborn areas of
redness without looking cakey.

In my experience, once I introduce a woman to mineral
makeup, she loves the effect so much so that she rarely wants to go back to
using a traditional foundation. The problem however is that most mineral
foundations come in pots of loose powder and require clever application to get
the right amount of coverage without using too much. Many women complain that
the pots spill in their handbags and that the loose eye shadows fall all over
the face when brushed over the eyelid.

Enter Proto-col, the company best known for bringing us
skin-strengthening collagen in tablet form. Proto-col has now turned their hand
to compact mineral makeup and the timing couldn’t be better. I was delighted to receive a selection of their Baked Minerals range of compacts because it meant that I would be able to
carry mineral makeup in my kit and apply it without having to worry about the
mess.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this was more than
just mineral makeup. Proto- col have cleverly blurred the line between makeup
and skincare, blending complexion calming essential oils like jojoba oil and safflower
oil together with healing lavender(great for spot prone skin) and baking them
into a compact to make application easy. The foundations feel super soft and
silky to touch. They leave the complexion feeling hydrated yet not at all
greasy. I love the Baked Mineral Colour Corrector – a swirl of green and flesh
toned powder which adapts to any skin tone to obliterate redness. The shimmer
powders impart an instant glow without looking too shimmery. The eye shadows
are a dream to blend and my favourite; Smoky, suits absolutely every skin tone
I use it on.

The best product really is the lip gloss though. The wand
lights up for easy application and the tube has a mirror on the side so that
you can see what you’re doing. A range that’s easy to apply and absolutely
flawless looking on the skin- I think this could be the future of mineral makeup.

From £11.95 to £27.95

It's a Miracle- The Other Brazilian

I spend a lot of time on my hair...not because I want it to look perfectly polished or groomed and not because I’m obsessive about it. The truth is that I would scare small children if I was a ‘wash and go’ kind of girl and, well...I like kids. Some people are genetically predisposed to frizz - others, curl. Some have hair so fine and straight that nothing can be done with it. Well, I was blessed with all of the above. Throw in a cocktail of bleach, peroxide and blow drying and you’re getting a picture of the mop that is my hair.

Imagine my delight (and to be honest, a touch of sheer disbelief) when I heard about Brazilian Hair Straightening- the first of it's kind that is gentle enough to be used on colour treated hair. Otherwise known in some salons as ‘The Semi Permanent Blow Dry’, this conditioning keratin treatment promises to transform even the most distressed, frizz prone locks into baby soft hair for at least three months- no styling required.

Scepticism aside (I’ll try anything once), I booked myself a treatment and am over the moon to report that 24 hours later, I am the proud owner of absolutely gorgeous hair. I’d even go so far as to say I would give Jennifer Aniston a run for her money in the hair stakes.

The best part is not just the silky smooth and super- conditioned curtain falling over my shoulders but the promise that life will no longer be spent planning the hours it takes to wash, dry and torture my barnet into place. 'I can finally (sort of) refer to myself as 'low maintanence' because I’m a wash and go girl now!

Salons everywhere offer Brazilian Straightening at around £300. If you live in London, I recommend the fantastic hairdresser who did my hair, Julia from www.brazilianstraightening.co.uk or 07853041489. A freelance stylist, Julia will come to you and her prices start at only £100. Do what I did and invite a girlfriend around to have her's done at the same time.That way you can spend the afternoon doing what girls do best - cooing over each others hair.

 

Pampering...The Next Best Thing

In an ideal world, I would dedicate an entire day each week to a decadent session of head to toe pampering in a luxury spa. Like any girl, I love nothing more than that ‘post- massage haze’, the ‘fresh facial glow’ or the gleam of newly polished nails.
In reality, looking good is important but time is short (where do those 14 waking hours go?). Somewhere between work and sleep, I have to find the time to at least beautify the bits of my body that are on show. I used to think that ‘pampering’ had to take a back seat to my strictly functional beauty regime. That is until I found these fabulous products. They make me feel as I’ve have indeed had a spa treatment – minus the time and expense.

Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream £17.63 www.clinique.co.uk
Imagine you’ve just had a therapist spend an hour meticulously scrubbing the dead skin from your body, using salt, fresh peppermint leaves and butter. That’s how this smooth on wash off body scrub feels. Try it and you’ll become instantly hooked on the refreshingly tingly, smooth skin after- affects.

Elemis Resurfacing Tri-Enzyme gel mask £36 www.timetospa.co.uk
I use this twice a week at night and wake up the next day, feeling like I’ve had a facial. The Gycolic acid melts away dead skin cells and the mask leaves a cooling effect that hangs around even after it’s been removed and moisturiser has been applied. I often use it on models before doing their makeup to give the skin an instant pick-me –up. A post-flight must.
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By Terry Baume De Rose SPF 15 £30.34 www.spacenk.co.uk
I know it’s just a lip balm and I know it costs a whopping £30 but damn it’s good! Moisturising, creamy, non-sticky and long lasting – this balm doubles as a lip colour, albeit a subtle one. I’ve used it on shoots when I want a models lips to look full,shiny and natural because the hint of white pigment creates a plump, smooth looking mouth and the gloss effect isn’t’ too shiny. Don’t even get me started on the delicious rose fragrance.

Bio Oil from £6.66 www.bio-oil-direct.co.uk
I am still to witness the ‘reduction in stretch mark’ claims however it does deeply moisturise and is super -quick to apply. I’m lazy when it comes to rubbing in body moisturiser but Bio Oil need only be smeared on skin after a shower. It penetrates the skin quickly so you can get dressed immediately and the scent is so subtle that it doesn’t interfere with my perfume. The high vitamin E content is a powerful antioxidant, which makes this product top of my list for anti-ageing body care.

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil £29.35 www.aromatherapyassociates.com
Warning: do not use this product during the day…I have been known to fall into a coma-like 8-hour sleep immediately after using this bath oil. My husband calls it ‘liquid valium’. A must for any insomnia sufferer .The Camomile and Sandalwood oils make it smell divine.